


Watson's Woes July Writing Prompts 2019

by Mafief



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms, Sherlock Holmes (Downey films), Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle, The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
Genre: 221B Ficlet, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-06-02 08:53:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 2,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19438090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mafief/pseuds/Mafief
Summary: Ficlets for 2019 Watson's Woes July Writing Prompts. Most chapters will likely be unrelated. Ratings for each chapter will be in the notes.10 - Benefits of a Heatwave - It Is July, After All: London can be brutal in the summertime.11 - Rana - A Most Unusual Patient: Watson receives an unusual patient.





	1. Dinner Guest

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter - Title - Prompt  
> 1 - Dinner guest - Boom! Explosions, literal and otherwise. (ACD)  
> 2 - The Watson, the Memory, and the Wardrobe - Write any version of Sherlock Holmes in the style of another author. (ACD)  
> 3 - Ice Breaking - Include some meteorological elements. (BBC)  
> 4 - Bedtime Stories - Include a favorite book or work of literature. (BBC)  
> 5 - Only Way - picture prompt (RDJ)  
> 6 - See in a New Light - Non-English phrase (ACD)  
> 7 - Overreaching - Address Victorian fat shaming stereotype and how it might affect a character in your work today. (ACD)  
> 8 - Open - Object on left is prompt. Mine was a towel. (BBC)  
> 9 - Sick - Use 3 of these 11 words/phrases in your work. (BBC)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The oysters were fabulous. The unexpected guest, not so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: G  
> Prompt: Boom! Explosions, literal and otherwise.

The flavours were like an explosion across Watson’s tongue and he groaned silently in approval. It had been an understatement when Holmes had told him these oysters were good. He picked up another and thoughtfully chewed it as he scanned the other respectable patrons in the candle lit restaurant.

“May I join you Doctor Watson?” said male voice with a slight Dutch accent. 

Watson nodded. “And you might be?” 

“An admirer of Mr Holmes.” The stranger sat down. He had dark hair and a well-tended moustache. His sharp eyes studied Watson and he refused to squirm.

“He is not joining me tonight,” Watson lied. He was expecting Holmes shortly to explain his new case.

“That is no matter as I can leave the message with you. Tell Mr Holmes to discontinue his investigation.”

“A familiar message.”

“Of course, but I wouldn’t want anything… How do I put this? unpleasant to happen.”

“No.”

The sound of the man’s hand against the table exploded in the calm of the restaurant. The other patrons cast disapproving glances their way and outburst caught the attention of the maître d’.

“You will tell Mr Holmes to keep away from the Friesland,” the man whispered, and he walked away. 

What was Friesland? Watson frowned and downed the rest of the Chardonnay - he wished his drink was brandy.


	2. The Watson, the Memory, and the Wardrobe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some forget their time in Narnia, whilst others try to hold onto an escaping memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: G  
> Prompt: Write any version of Sherlock Holmes in the style of another author.

Watson was having a strange day, and the strangeness was not attributed to his new inscrutable roommate. No, this queerness was due to an ordinary object in his room: a wardrobe. 

The wardrobe appeared to be perfect normally. The sort that was found in almost all old houses. Mrs Hudson explained that it had been in 221B Baker Street long before she arrived. 

Where ever he looked at the wardrobe, he felt like he should be expecting something. Anything. A vapor of a memory swirled around in his mind and he was unable to catch it. He had felt this feeling before, but that was during his childhood. He kept reaching through his garments and touching the back of the wardrobe expecting to feel something or, perhaps, someone. Yet, it was always the smooth back of the wardrobe.

In that in between space between waking and asleep, he dreamed of walking into the wardrobe, through the fur coats that turned into branches, and arriving in a world of snow. He could smell the evergreen trees and hear the crunch of his feet on the snow. 

He struggled whether to call it a dream or a memory. It felt like a memory of something real.   
How could he have travel through a wardrobe? It was not a plausible experience he could believe.


	3. Ice Breaking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What’s your favorite meteorological phenomenon?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: G  
> Prompt: Include some meteorological elements.

John scrolled through the search results on his phone while drinking his morning tea. This one will have to do, he thought. 

“Sherlock, what’s your favorite meteorological phenomenon?” 

Sherlock put down his almost finished toast and pulled a face. “What? I’m not answering that question.” 

“Why not? It’s fun.”

Sherlock highly doubted that. “What does it matter what preference I have? It doesn’t make the event appear more or less frequently.”

“That’s not the point. These are ice breaking questions.”

Sherlock gave him a quizzical look. 

“They get people talking.”

“But aren’t we talking right now?”

“Ok, fine. Yes. I’ll start. Mine is tornadoes. Not the little ones we have here, but the massive ones they get in the US. I’d watch specials of them on TV.”

“Those are rather destructive.”

“Yah, but their raw power is mind boggling.” John said. He sipped his tea and gestured to Sherlock. 

“Saint Elmo’s fire.”

John chuckled. “Of course it would something I’ve never heard of. Go on then, tell me what it is.”

“It’s a continuous coronal discharge that can occur at the top of ship masts.”

John nodded, and Sherlock continued. “I like ships - pirate ships - and the phenomenon intrigued me.”

“Ok, next one.” 

“There’s more?” whines Sherlock. 

“I’ve got 199 more. Would you prefer an orange or a banana?”


	4. Bedtime Stories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Passing down stories we love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: G  
> Prompt: Include a favorite book or work of literature.
> 
> Note: Borrowing words from Arnold Lobel.

John dutifully changed his clothes and brushed his teeth. The old hinges squeaked as he opened the bathroom door. 

“Are you ready?” came his mother’s voice from down stairs. 

He said yes and went to his room. His favorite car was on his bed and he sat down to play with it when he heard her approach. ”Mummy, can you read me a story?”

She sat down beside him, tucking his blanket closer around him. “Sure, Johnny. This one ok?”

John grinned - it was his favorite. 

She began to read, _“Toad went to Frog’s house. He found a note on the door...”_

——

“Ready Rosie?” 

“Yes, Dad.” Rosie appeared from the bathroom dressed in her favorite purple pajamas. They settled into her bed and began reading a story together. 

Rosie yawned and was struggling with reading. 

“It’s ok, I’ll finish,” said John. 

_“Now,’ said Frog, “l will be glad not to be alone.”_

Determined, Rosie sounded out the next line. 

“Good job,” John said, and kissed her forehead. _“Frog and Toad stayed on the island all afternoon._ "John just noticed Sherlock leaning on the door frame. He has the next part memorized and he held Sherlock’s gaze as he finished _“They were two close friends sitting alone together._ The end, Sprout. Bedtime.” 

“But Dad, can’t I have just one more book?”


	5. Only Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Was it worth it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: PG  
> Prompt: A black and white photograph of a park at night. A transparent silhouette of a figure can be seen.  
> Content Warnings: Injury (I’m not killing off characters. Nope, not me.)

“Why did I leave my warm bed to be here at this _exact_ ungodly hour and this _exact_ time? What couldn’t you do alone?” asked Watson. 

Holmes showed no recognition of Watson’s presence remaining still with his hand touching the lamppost.

“Holmes?” Watson touched his shoulder. Holmes looked as if he just realized Watson was there. 

“I need data. The opening to the spirit world only appears here at this time. I intend to go there.”

“You can’t.” Watson’s talent was forming bridges from the visible to the spirit world. Thoughts could be exchanged between worlds, but beings shouldn’t - one could easily lose their way and never come back. 

“Now. It must be now.” 

Watson felt the tug and anchored himself to the in-between space. Shadowy figures wove around them obscuring his vision. A blinding blue light burst into view and Holmes pulled towards it. Watson felt fear. He knew it came from the light and he needed to protect Holmes. He screwed his eyes shut and gripped Holmes’ shoulder harder. Concentrate. 

Pain replaced fear, and he could stand it no longer. He fought to pull them out. Watson felt them tumble into the physical world.

“Got it,” Holmes gasped and collapsed. 

“You bloody idiot!” Watson said turning Holmes over. Light from the lamppost illuminated the growing pool of blood.


	6. Seen in a New Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lestrade is frustrated with his case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: PG  
> Prompt: Add a non-English phrase.  
> Pairing: Lestrade/Watson

Lestrade rubbed his temples. Three men murdered. There must be a connection. Right? Think.

Transcribing from shorthand to longhand usually organized his thoughts - except for today. 

The door opened and startled Lestrade. Watson was home early. Lestrade was sure he was smiling like a loon and decided he did not care to hide it - his partner was back home. “John, you’re back. Was the case a success?” 

“Holmes tied up the case quickly and I left on the earliest train.” Watson leaned forward and whispered in his ear. “I missed you.”

Lestrade shuddered. “And I you.”

“Finished?”

“No,” he moaned. “It’s these murders. They must be connected, but it’s dark to me.”

“You’ll work it out,” Watson said taking his hand. “You’re a very capable inspector.”

Lestrade tried not to blush. “As dad would say, Vouloir, c’est pouvoir.”

“The want you have in abundance; the ability you already have.” Watson squeezed his hand and went to pour them a drink. 

“The murders are localized, but the timing is erratic.”

“Try shipping records? Holmes worked on a case where the murderer was a sailor; the murders were timed with his ship.”

Lestrade tapped his chin. “Maybe... A task for tomorrow.” 

Watson offered him a brandy and he put the glass down. “No, I would prefer to take you to bed.”


	7. Overreaching

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holmes disagrees with a conclusion in Lombroso’s book.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Verse: ACD  
> Rating: G  
> Prompt: Address Victorian fat shaming stereotype and how it might affect a character in your work today.

After frigid afternoon, I settled by the fire in our rooms in Baker Street to let the warmth drive the chill from my bones. I had just picked up my novel when Holmes tossed his book in disgust. 

“Utter poppycock.”

I retrieved the offending text. “Cesare Lombroso’s _The Female Offender_. Holmes, you accept some of his theories.”

“Yes, some of his views are marginally acceptable. We’ve seen that criminal strain does run in the blood. But correlating the size of women to how she conducts herself, to even her sanity is too much. Here, read this.”

I offered Holmes the book and he opened it to the offending passage before handing it back to me to read aloud. “This greater weight among prostitutes is confirmed by the notorious fact of the obesity of those who grow old in their vile trade, and who gradually become positive monsters of adipose tissue.”

“He is arguing that obesity is linked to promiscuity,” Holmes said. “Think back to our own experiences; we’ve seen thin women with angelic faces committing the blackest crimes and fat women with the gentlest souls. There is no correlation.”

“I do agree with you. Lombroso has a lecture tomorrow - you could attend.”

Holmes nodded and grinned. I returned to my book as Holmes muttered about the man being a baboon.


	8. Open

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morning after and it’s all fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Verse: BBC  
> Rating: M/PG-13 (Rating for kissing, naked men, and showering)  
> Prompt: The object closest to you on your left is now your prompt. Mine was a bath towel.

John took a deep breath as he walked into the bathroom. He… They had... He shook his head and turned the shower taps on. The Baker Street pipes gave their familiar squeak. He restarted his brain and ran through last night’s events. Yes, he admitted his feelings to Sherlock. Yes, they had sex and slept together. Yes, he had just invited Sherlock to shower with him.

He waited for the internal panic to burst, but it remained still. Instead, butterflies fluttered in his stomach.

It was good. Well, it was more than good.

Sherlock arrived with towels under his arm looking shy. John’s chest ache for him. John took the towels and dropped them on the floor. 

They kissed and slowly undressed before entering the slower. This openness scared him, but John wanted this and the intimacy with Sherlock. John maneuvered him under the spray and poured Sherlock’s posh shower gel on a flannel. He tried to show his love with each movement of the flannel over Sherlock’s arms and shoulders. His hand stilled over the scar on Sherlock’s chest. John looked up to his face and felt shame at the pain he caused.

Sherlock covered John’s hand with his. “It’s fine.” 

John knew it wasn’t, that it was in the past. Maybe one day he could leave that guilt behind.


	9. Sick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John’s in hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Verse: BBC  
> Rating: G  
> Prompt: Used all 11 words/phrases.   
> 1\. Dreams  
> 2\. Red sky at night shepherds delight  
> 3\. Summer time and the living is easy  
> 4\. An unexpected visitor  
> 5\. Flight  
> 6\. Flisk  
> 7\. Sophism  
> 8\. Amalgamate  
> 9\. Paroxysm  
> 10\. Lacuna  
> 11\. Apposite
> 
> A.N.: It’s a little awkward, but it’s done.

John woke to the feeling of bats taking flight in his head.

“Good morning,” said Sherlock cheerfully.

That cheerfulness and how he felt weren’t an apposite match. John saw that he was in hospital. “What happened?”

“You have been exhibiting classic paroxysm of fever like those with malaria. Strange because you live in London, yet there has been seven deaths this year. You could fill in the lacuna of my memory, but probably not. Instead, I’ll tell you of my latest case in a Flisk parish.” 

John drifted off to sleep.

\-----

John woke when Sherlock asking him about his dreams. 

“Dreams?”

“You were calling out.”

“It was, umm, a red sky at night-“

“-Shepherds delight, or so the saying goes.”

“Yes, but it felt wrong. The song “summertime” was playing, but it’s also wrong.” John cleared his throat and tried to sing. “Summertime and the living's easy.” He stopped and grinned sheepishly. “That song. Anyway, I was alone then an unexpected visitor startled me.”

“Who was it?”

“You. Maybe you were an expected visitor. Donno,” John mumbled and drifted asleep.

\----

Next morning John felt well enough to attempt a crossword puzzle. He chewed on his pen when Sherlock walked into his room. He looked down at John’s answers and smirked.

“Fine, tell me.”

“Fifteen across is Sophism,” Sherlock blurted.


	10. Benefits of a Heatwave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basil has been waiting for the oppressive summer heat. Dawson has not. (Great Mouse Detective)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: G  
> Prompt: It Is July, After All: London can be brutal in the summertime. Let’s have some hot sweaty London and Holmes and Watson being hot and sweaty in it, all while trying to solve crimes and not strangle each other.

While many of London’s occupants and myself were miserable from the heat, my companion was giddy with excitement. 

“Bless this warm day!” Exclaimed Basil buzzing with more than his usual excitement.

I glared at him over my yesterday’s newsprint fan. Warm was an understatement. It was shaping up to be the hottest day of the hottest week of the year. I was convinced his excited movements were adding to the oppressive heat in our rooms. I am not unaccustomed to warm temperatures, but today was testing my limits. I slept poorly due to constantly overheating in my stuffy room. When exhaustion had finally overcome me, Basil had scratched on his violin. 

I do not consider myself a murderous mouse, but my patience was sorely tried. 

“Curse this inferno,” I did not say. Instead I asked, “Why is the heat blessed?”

“Lizardus and his gang of cold-blooded villains will finally make their move. They are at their most devious when temperatures are at its highest. My trap has been set to catch them in the act this afternoon.”

“Perhaps they will strike after the hottest part of the day? Maybe in cool night?” 

Basil glanced at the timepiece. “They will strike in three hours. Come Dawson! I know exactly where they will be: the hottest location of the city.”

I whined, “Basil!”


	11. Rana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A frog visits Watson’s practice. (ACD)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: G  
> Prompt: A Most Unusual Patient: Watson receives an unusual patient whose presence inspires today’s work.

The spring morning did little to brighten Watson’s broken-hearted mien. Like every other morning, he arrived at his practice early to work himself into exhaustion before returning to his wife-less and friend-less home. He took his miserable existence one day at a time.

Watson settling in to start reviewing patient paperwork when a loud “Wach wach” from the window startled him. He saw a huge green frog crawling up the outside of the window. The last thing he needed was some frog croaking away fraying the nerves of him and his sick patients. He reached through the window to dislodge the frog, but it attached to his arm and held fast. 

Watson brought the frog inside and sighed. “I do not treat frogs, little one. Off you go.”

The frog shook his head and… smiled? Was it possible for a frog to smile? It lifted its froggy leg to its mouth and gently cleared his throat. “Good morning, Watson. Would you throw an old friend out the window so soon after reacquainting?”

Watson hurled the frog against the wall. It hit with a sickening splat and slid down the wall with a groan. Before Watson’s eyes the frog transformed into a very human, very real, very naked Holmes. 

He dropped to his knees and cried, “Holmes!” 

Holmes shyly said, “I’m back.”


End file.
